An illustrated history of filmmaking

With its clean, crisp layout and illustrations, Boardman's graphic ode to filmmaking is a sure bet for budding film buffs. Starting with ancient puppet plays projected on cloth screens and ending with what cinephiles can expect in the future think augmented reality ­the history of moving pictures is clearly expressed. Forays into niches, such as a pictorial spread of movie theaters through time or the development of film editing and its connection to women in the industry, are fascinating. Boardman also devotes many pages to diversity in cinema: a spread about controversial director D. W. Griffith (Birth of a Nation) is offset by a page devoted to Oscar Micheaux, an early African American producer, writer, and director devoted to making movies expressly for African American communities. The clear renditions of rotating platforms, anamorphic lenses, and Steadicams will draw in techies, while the limited color palette of clear basics with outlines of sharp black make the evenly spaced pictures and spreads easily digested. A nicely done effort with broad appeal.--Karen Cruze Copyright 2018 Booklist

Delivering on its title, this slim, breezy volume runs through the history of filmmaking from the earliest experiments humanity performed with tricks of light to speculating on the future of movie viewing. Illustrations are paired with brief and simplistic text and some amusing anecdotes. For example, during WWI, film pioneer George MAcliA"s' studio had its film stock "recycled into shoe heels"; and during the making of Star Wars, actor Harrison Ford teased George Lucas' poor line readings when the director was trying to motivate him. But the style feels more like a textbook, rather than a comic. Taking on the entire history of the art of cinema in a short book requires that these descriptions be cursory at best, though Boardman's choice to widen the focus beyond American productions adds a welcome broader perspective. Boardman does, however, make some odd choices and digressions, though, in the claim to scope-such as concentrating overly on personal favorites like The Seven Samurai and Star Wars. Since the work feels like it's aimed at a younger audience, occasional profanity comes across as jarring. While pleasant, competent enough, and easily digestible, the effort feels like a children's primer gone astray and is forgettable for an adult audience. (Oct.) c Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.